cell membranes Flashcards
what are the roles of the cell plasma membrane
- seperates the cell contents from the outside environment
- regulates the transport of nutrients into and out of the cells- selectively/partially permeable
- recepetor sites- eg hormones bind to target cells which have correct receptor sites
- recognition- cell membranes have built in protein-based antigens which enable cells to recognise other and to trigger an immune response
what are the roles of the internal membrane
- seperate cell components from cytoplasm
- hold the components of some metabolic pathways in place
- chemical reactions take place on membranes
what is the fluid-mosaic model
singer and nicholson (1972)- proposed a model of how the components in the membarne are arranged
why is the model called fluid
the phosphate molecules move around each other within a layer realtive to one another
why is the model called mosaic
proteins emmbedded between the phospholipids vary in shape, size and pattern
what are the components of a cell membrane
- phosphate bilayer
- proteins (intrinsic and extrinsic)
- chlorestrol
- glycoproteins and glycolipids
whats the difference between intrinsic and extrinsic proteins
intrinsic span the bilayer whereas extrinsic are only on 1 side of bilayer
whats the components of the phospholipid bilayer
hydrophilic heads pointing outwards (interact with water)
hydrophobic tails point towards each other
what are characteristics of extrinsic proteins
- on either side of the bilayer
- provide structural support
- form recognistion sites by identifying cells
- form receptor sites for horn attachments
what are characteristics of intrinsic proteins
- extended across the bilayer
- provide structural support
- some are carrier proteins- active transportor diffusion of water- soluble substances and large polar molecules
- some are channel proteins
whats the function of cholestrol in the membrane
provides the membrane with stability and rigidity by fitting between the fatty acid tails
whats the function of glycoproteins and glycolipids
for cell to cell communication, cell to cell recognition, hormone reception
what makes up a glycoprotein
protein and carbohydrate
what makes up glycolipid
phosopholipid and carbohydrate
what is glycocalyx
the carbohydrate layer around the membrane
what is the membrane a barrier to
- larger polar molecules
- water-soluble molecules
- ions
what is the membrane freely permeable to
- lipid-soluble substances
- non-polar molecules
- very small polar molecules
what happens when membrane are heated
as the temp increases, the molecules that make up the membrane gain kinetic energy causing the membrane to become more fluid and therefore more permeable for pigments and solutes
what are the different methods of passive transport
- diffusion
- facilitated diffusion
- osmosis
what is diffusion
a passive movement of molecules from a region of high conc to low conc gradient down a conc gradient
when does diffusion occur
- there is a conc gradient
- molecules have kinetic energy
- no ATP energy required
- no specific proteins required
how does temperature effect diffusion
increasing temp increases kinetic energy and the rate of random movement so the diffusion rate increases
how does concentration gradient effect diffusion
having more molecules on one side of the membrane increases diffusion rate by increasing conc gradient
how does surface area effect diffussion
the greater the rate surface area the greater the rate of diffusion
whats the equation for rate of diffusion
rate of diffusion =
(surface area x difference in conc)/ length of diffusion pathway
how does membrane thickness effect diffusion
the thicker the membrane the slower the rate of diffusion
how does diffusion distance effect diffusion
the shorter distance, the greater the rate of diffusion
how does the size of moelcules effect diffusion
smaller molecules diffuse mre quickly